Fall 2008 Beauty Trend: The Soft Smoky Eye

We're in the midst of projecting our big beauty trends for fall, and one of my personal faves is this gorgeously wearable take on the smoky eye. Seen here at the Chris Benz Fall 2008 Fashion Show, and also at Zac Posen, Versace, Pucci, Gucci, Fendi and Armani, makeup artists traded in the usual black for softer shades like brown, teal and gray, for rich, smoldering look that perfectly matches fall's edgy classic fashions. Wear the trend, first, with these tips from makeup artist Ayako (for Nars), who we caught up with backstage at Chris Benz.

"The look is prep school Goth, very Margot Tenenbaum, with smudgy eyes, like she did her makeup the day before and slept in it," said Ayako. She smudged Nars Cream Eye Shadow in Madagascar on the upper lid, lining the top lash line with Nars Eye Liner Pencil in Black. To achieve a vampy look on the lower lash line, she first applied Nars Cream Eye Shadow in Madagascar, smudging antique brown Nars Single Eye Shadow in Fez (New for Fall!) over it. “The trick is to do many back and forths,” says Ayako, “to achieve a look that’s both light and smoky.”